Setting off from Valcarlos. Apparently we will be walking on the trafficked road a while so Sven has taken the precaution of wearing a yellow visibility vest.
The way ....
....to the bordel!
Quite a wind at the highest point of today's walk. After this about two km into Roncesvalles.
And this is Roncesvalles. We were expecting a town, but this is all it is. It is a complex of buildings that make up Orreaga/Roncesvalles. The Collegiate church of Santa Maria, built in the 12 century, is prominent.
Orreaga/Roncesvalles has always been a place of transit. The Celts entered the Iberian Peninsula via this route. In 778, the gorge of Valcarlos was the scene of the Battle of Roncesvalles, in which the rearguard of Chalemagnes army, commanded by Roland, was defeated by the Vascons.
In 813 the tomb of the apostle St James (Santiago) was found in Galicia and pilgrimages to Compostella began. One of the routes crossed the Pyrenees at Roncesvalles and a hospital-monestry with the aim of caring for pilgrims emerged.
To get back to Roland. The story of Roland's death inspired the mediaeval narrative epic poem, The Song of Roland. It is an epic poem and there is no place to copy it here. And I am too tired to summarise it!
This is the Beneficio where we have an apartment. Once again, very fancy for a pilgrim.
The church, Santa Maria, had a blessing of pilgrims service at 20.00. Our meal, pilgrims dinner, 3 courses, wine included, 16 euros, was so good we only got to the church at 20.15. But nevertheless in time to here the blessing from the priest. He mentioned the names of all the countries the pilgrims came from.
Early night, we have 27 km to walk tomorrow.
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